Washington Unemployment
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Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Will ESD benefits still be available after incarceration if I have months left on my claim?
Hi everyone, I'm in a tough spot and need advice about my unemployment benefits. I currently have about 3 months of ESD benefits remaining on my claim, but I'm facing a possible incarceration for over a year (legal issues I'd rather not get into). Does anyone know if I can pause my benefits while incarcerated and then resume collecting the remaining 3 months after release? Or do I completely lose those benefits? Will I need to file a new claim after being released? The ESD website doesn't have any clear info about this situation and I can't get through on the phone.
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Won my ESD appeal hearing - how long until I receive my backpay?
Just had my ESD appeal hearing last week (took almost 2 months to get scheduled!) and yesterday got the decision letter saying I won! The judge agreed that my employer terminated me without valid cause and I'm eligible for benefits. While I'm super relieved, I'm also getting anxious about when I'll actually see the money. It's been 12 weeks of filing claims with $0 payments while 'disqualified' status. The backpay amount should be around $9,200 total. Has anyone else won an appeal? How long did it take for ESD to process your backpay after the decision? Do I need to contact them or will it happen automatically? My rent is already late this month and my landlord's patience is wearing thin...
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One thing no one's mentioned yet - make sure your payment method is set up correctly in eServices. I've seen people win appeals, then their backpay was sent to an old debit card or closed bank account. Double-check your payment settings while you're waiting!
That's a great point - just checked and my direct deposit info is current. At least that part should be okay! Now I just need to get them to actually process the payments...
UPDATE: I just received my first backpay deposit! $4,600 hit my account this morning - exactly 11 days after getting the appeal decision. Called yesterday using that special collections number that someone suggested, and apparently that did the trick. The agent said the remaining amount should come through within 72 hours. Thanks everyone for your help with this!
That's fantastic news! So glad it worked out for you. And thanks for coming back to update us - it's helpful for others to know what timeline to expect.
awesome!! glad it worked out! that special number was a good tip
Employer falsely claimed I quit - ESD denied benefits - appeal hearing next week!
I'm absolutely fuming right now. My former employer told ESD that I voluntarily quit when I was actually laid off due to "restructuring" (that's what they called it anyway). Now ESD has DENIED my benefits completely! I received the determination letter last week saying I'm disqualified because I "left work voluntarily without good cause." This is completely false! I have my appeal hearing scheduled for next Thursday with the Office of Administrative Hearings. Has anyone gone through something similar? What evidence did you present? I have text messages from my supervisor saying they were sorry about the layoffs and a copy of my final check that says "reduction in force" but I'm worried it won't be enough. I'm seriously stressed because I've got bills due and was counting on those benefits. Any advice would be really appreciated!
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One more thing I forgot to mention - after your hearing, the judge won't make a decision right away. You'll receive their written decision by mail within 2-3 weeks. If you win, benefits are usually processed within a week after the decision and include all back payments from when you first filed. If you lose, you have another appeal option to the Commissioner's Review Office, though that's much more complicated. But focus on winning this hearing first!
Government shutdown impact on ESD adjudication times?
I'm currently in week 6 of waiting for my unemployment claim to resolve a pending issue. My benefits are on hold while they review my job separation (company downsizing). I just saw on the news that there might be a government shutdown soon. Does anyone know if/how a federal shutdown would affect Washington State ESD processing times? Would this add even more weeks to my already long wait? I'm getting really worried about making rent next month if this drags on much longer.
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Does anyone know if they'll still be doing the weekly payments for claims that are already approved during a shutdown? Or does EVERYTHING stop??
Existing approved claims should continue to be paid during a shutdown. The payment system is automated and state-run, so weekly payments for approved claims typically continue uninterrupted. It's the processing of new claims, adjudications, and appeals that tend to see the biggest impacts.
Just wanted to update everyone - I used Claimyr this morning and actually got through to someone at ESD! The agent told me that my adjudication is almost complete but was waiting for employer verification. She noted the financial hardship on my account and said she would expedite it. She also confirmed that a government shutdown would add approximately 1-2 weeks to pending adjudications that require federal database checks, but mine shouldn't be affected much since they already have all the information they need. Such a relief to finally talk to someone who could help!
That's awesome! Glad u finally got some answers. The waiting and uncertainty is the worst part sometimes.
Won OAH appeal but ESD portal still shows disqualified status - when will it update?
Finally won my appeal hearing with the Office of Administrative Hearings last Thursday (7/18)! There's a letter in my OAH portal clearly stating my case is closed, the ruling is in my favor, and the original decision is reversed. It specifically says I'm NOT disqualified.\n\nHere's the problem though - when I check my ESD portal, all my payments still show as
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Marcus Williams
lol i think ur getting wayyy ahead of urself... who knows what the unemployment system will even look like after ur out... they change the rules like every 6 months anyway!!! good luck tho
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Jay Lincoln
One more important point: When you're released, if your benefit year has expired, you'll need to have worked and earned qualifying wages AFTER your previous claim was filed to be eligible for a new claim. This means you likely need to find employment first, work for a while, and then if you lose that job through no fault of your own, you could file a new claim. Unemployment isn't designed to restart after a long absence from the workforce - it's specifically for people who have recently lost employment. Focus on reentry programs that help with job placement after incarceration, as these will be more immediately helpful than trying to restart unemployment benefits.
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Brooklyn Foley
AuthorThat makes a lot of sense. I'll look into reentry programs. Thanks for all the detailed information - it's giving me a clearer picture of what to expect and plan for.
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